Italian designer Missoni aboard plane missing near Venezuela

Milan: Italian fashion designer Vittorio Missoni, head of the eponymous fashion house, was aboard a small plane that has disappeared off the coast of Venezuela, a company spokeswoman said on Saturday.

"The Missoni family has been informed by the Venezuelan consulate that Vittorio Missoni and his wife are missing, but we don't know any more," said Maddalena Aspes. "The authorities will resume their search for the plane in the morning."

Italian media reported that the plane went missing on Friday morning after take-off from the resort of Los Roques, an archipelago off the coast of Venezuela. Also reported to have been aboard the Britten Norman NB2 twin-engine plane with Missoni, 58, and his wife, Maurizia Castiglioni, were another couple and two Venezuelan crew members.

Missoni is the son of the founders of the family-owned fashion house famous for its exuberantly coloured knits, featuring bold stripes and zigzags. Vittorio is co-owner with siblings Luca and Angela.